Being part of a competitive robotics team is a great way to learn technical as well as leadership and communication skills. It can be a lot of fun and a lot of work. To help teams and coaches, CREATE has put together resources for new teams and veteran teams alike. We hope you find the information below useful and we welcome your feedback and suggestions on how to make our team page even better.
First steps for new teams and coaches.
Getting started can be one of the more confusing tasks in managing a team. To help navigate the steps required, our How to Start a Team guide is a great place to begin.
It walks through registration, organizing students into a team, early scheduling decisions, and how to approach your first season with realistic goals and expectations.
Key links and tips for successful seasons.
There are some things that are important for every team to know. Below are links that many teams have found valuable when preparing for a season and their first tournaments.
Important websites
Guidance for both new and experienced mentors.
You have a team, your parts are on order and you have a coach! At this point a new coach can't help but wonder, “What have I gotten myself into?” Even without a formal handbook, we encourage coaches to:
Ideas for grants, sponsors, and stretching your budget.
Team funding can come from many different sources: school budgets, family contributions, local sponsors, community foundations, and grants. Clear communication about your team’s goals, impact, and budget makes it easier for potential supporters to say “yes.”
CREATE has gained permission to publish a sample K–12 grant proposal from a school that was successful in obtaining funding. Identifying information has been removed, but the structure and language remain a helpful model for teams preparing their own proposals.
As you develop your own funding strategy, consider a mix of small local sponsors, school support, and occasional grant applications. Tracking your impact each season (students served, events attended, awards, outreach) will make future funding requests even stronger.
Getting the most from limited resources.
Most teams are looking for ways to get the most out of their investment. Simple strategies such as reusing parts, sharing tools across multiple teams, and prioritizing practice time over extra hardware can significantly reduce costs.
CREATE has no affiliation with any of the companies teams may choose to purchase from. When evaluating equipment, focus on durability, availability of replacement parts, and how much educational value each purchase will provide over multiple seasons.